Full Judgment Text
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CASE NO.:
Appeal (civil) 5104 of 2006
PETITIONER:
Som Lal
RESPONDENT:
Vijay Laxmi & Ors
DATE OF JUDGMENT: 14/03/2008
BENCH:
A.K.MATHUR & ALTAMAS KABIR
JUDGMENT:
JUDGMENT
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 5104 of 2006
A.K.MATHUR,J.
1. This appeal is directed against the order dated 26.10.2006
passed by learned Single Judge of the Punjab & Haryana High Court
whereby the learned Single Judge held that the appellant- Som Lal was
holding the whole-time salaried office of a statutory body as he was
on the rolls of the Market Committee, Sirsa as Fireman on 29.6.2003
and he was disqualified from contesting the election as Sarpanch,
Gram Panchayat, Village Dhobra on 29.6.2003. Therefore, he has been
rightly held to be disqualified by the Election Tribunal.
Accordingly, the learned Single Judge upheld the order of the
Election Tribunal whereby the election of the appellant was set
aside. Aggrieved against this order dated 26.10.2006 passed by the
learned Single Judge of the High Court of Punjab & Haryana the
present appeal was filed.
2. Brief facts which are necessary for disposal of this appeal are
that the appellant contested the election of Sarpanch on 29.6.2003 of
Village Dhobara, Tehsil Pathankot, and the appellant was elected and
the opponent- Vijay Laxmi lost. Total votes polled -800; 411 votes
were polled in favour of the appellant- Som Lal; 376 votes were
polled in favour of Vijay Laxmi and 13 votes were cancelled. Hence,
the appellant was declared elected. The election of the appellant
was challenged by the respondent- Vijay Laxmi by filing an election
petition. The main ground taken by the respondent was that the
appellant was working as a Fireman in the Haryana State Agricultural
Marketing Board and he was posted at Sirsa. Therefore, he was
disqualified from contesting the election as he was holding the
office of profit. The plea of the appellant was that he was an
employee of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board but he had
left the job about 7-8 years prior to the conduct of the election.
Therefore, he did not suffer from any disqualification. The
respondent contended before the Election Tribunal that as per Section
208 (1)(g) of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 (Punjab Act 9 of
1994) [hereinafter to be referred to as "the Punjab Act 9 of 1994"],a
person who is a whole-time salaried employee of any local authority,
Statutory Corporation or Board or a Co-operative Society registered
under the Punjab Co-operative Societies Act, 1961 or of the State
Government or the Central Government, is disqualified for being
chosen as and for being a member of a Panchayat and since the
appellant was an employee of the Market Committee, therefore, he was
disqualified. As against this, it was contended by the appellant
that Section 11 of the Punjab State Election Commission Act,1994(
Punjab Act 19 of 1994)[hereinafter to be referred to as "the Punjab
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Act No.19 of 1994] which came into force with effect from 19th
September, 1994 after the Punjab Act 9 of 1994 which came into force
with effect from 21.4.1994, which deals with disqualification, says
that a person shall be disqualified for being chosen as and for being
a member of a Panchayat or a Municipality if he holds an office of
profit under a Panchayat or a Municipality; or he holds an office of
profit under the Government of India or any State Government and not
for holding office of profit under local authority and being a member
of the Marketing Board. Therefore, as per Section 11 of the Act of 19
of 1994 an incumbent is not disqualified to contest the election. The
Election Tribunal after recording necessary evidence found that the
appellant was an employee of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing
Board, Sirsa and therefore, he was disqualified from contesting the
election for Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat of village Dhobra. Hence, the
Election Tribunal by order dated 13.12.2004 set aside the election of
the appellant before us and allowed the election petition of the
respondent- Vijay Laxmi and declared her as elected to the Office of
Sarpanch. Aggrieved against this order the appellant filed an appeal
before the High Court of Punjab & Haryana. Since there was a conflict
between the two provisions, learned Single Judge referred the matter
to the Division Bench for adjudicating the following question of law:
" Whether election of Sarpanch/ Member of a Gram
Panchayat can be set aside on the basis of
disqualifications contemplated under section 208 of
the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 or it can be set
aside only on the basis of disqualifications
enumerated in Section 11 of the Punjab State Election
Commission Act, 1994?"
Learned Division Bench answered the question by order dated 22.1.2006
in this very case which reads as follows:
" In view of what has been discussed above,
we hold that a person shall be disqualified for
being chosen and for being a member of a Panchayat
if, he incurs any of the disqualifications enlisted
in Section 208 of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act,
1994 and/or section 11 of the Punjab State Election
Commission Act, 1994."
3. Now, the question before us is whether the
disqualifications enumerated in Section 208 of the Act 9 of 1994
shall prevail or the disqualifications mentioned in Section 11 of the
Act 19 of 1994. Both the provisions are quoted below for the sake of
convenience.
" 208. Disqualification for Membership. (1) A
person shall be disqualified for being chosen as
and for being a member of a Panchayat if,-
(a) he is so disqualified by or under any law for the
time being in force for the purposes of elections
to the Legislature of the State :
Provided that no person shall be disqualified on
the ground that he is less than twenty-five years
of age, if he has attained the age of twenty-one
years;
(b) has been found guilty of any corrupt practice in any
election of a Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti or
Zilla Parishad;
(c) has been convicted of any offence involving moral
turpitude or an offence implying of any defect of a
Sarpanch or Panch or Gram Panchayat or member of a
Panchayat Samiti or Zila Parishad, unless a period
of five years has elapsed since his conviction; or
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(d) has been convicted of an election offence; or
(e) has been ordered to give security for good behaviour
under section 110 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure, 1973; or
(f) has been notified as disqualified for appointment as
public servant except on medical grounds; or
(g) is a whole-time salaried employee of any local
authority, Statutory Corporation or Board or a Co-
operative Society registered under the Punjab Co-
operative Societies Act,1961, or of the State
Government or the Central Government; or
(h) is registered as a habitual offender
xx xx xx
11. Disqualifications for membership of a Panchayat
or a Municipality.- A person shall be disqualified
for being chosen as, and for being a member of a
Panchayat or a Municipality,-
(a) if he is not a citizen of India, or has
voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign
State, or is under any acknowledgement of
allegiance or adherence to a foreign State; or
(b) if he is of unsound mind and stands so
declared by a competent court; or
) if he is an undischarged insolvent; or
(d) if he has, in proceedings for questioning the
validity or regularity of an election, been found
guilty of any corrupt practice; or
(e) if he has been found guilty of any offence
punishable under Section 153A or Section 171E or
section 171F or section 376 of section 376A of
section 376B or section 376C or section 376D or
section 498A or section 505 of the Indian Penal
Code, 1960 or any offence punishable under Chapter
XIII of this Act unless a period of six years has
elapsed since the date of such conviction; or
(f) if he holds an office of profit under a Panchayat
or a Municipality; or
(g) if he holds an office of profit under the
Government of India or any State Government; or
(h) xx xx xx"
Both the provisions bearing on the subject have been quoted and the
disqualifications given in both the provisions make it clear that so
far as Act 9 of 1994 is concerned, there any person holding office
of profit under the local authority, statutory corporation or Board
or a Co-operative society or under the State Government or the
Central Government has been disqualified whereas under Section 11 (f)
& (g) of Act 19 of 1994, a person shall be disqualified for being
chosen as and for being a member of a Panchayat or a Municipality if
he holds an office of profit under a Panchayat or a Municipality; or
under the Government of India or any State Government. Therefore, it
is to be seen whether this disqualification which has come into force
under the Act 19 of 1994 i.e. on 19.9.1994 will prevail or the
earlier disqualifications as prescribed in Section 208 of Act 9 of
1994 will prevail. In this connection, the important provisions
which have substantial bearing on the subject are Sections 142 and
143 of the Act 19 of 1994 are relevant which read as under :
" 142. Over-riding effect.- The provisions of
this Act shall have over-riding effect
notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith
contained in any other law for the time being in
force relating to the conduct of elections to the
Panchayats or Municipalities or any incidental
matter thereto.
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143.Repeal and savings.- The provisions of
any State Law corresponding to the provisions of
this Act are hereby repealed:
Provided that such repeal shall not attect-
(a) the previous operation of the corresponding
provisions of any State Law so repealed or anything
duly done or suffered thereunder; or
(b) any right, privilege, obligation or liability
occurred, accrued or incurred under the
corresponding provisions of any State Law so
repealed; or
(c) any penalty, forfeiture or punishment incurred in
respect of any offence committed against the
corresponding provisions of any State Law so
repealed; or
(d) any legal proceedings, investigation or remedy in
respect of any such right, privilege, obligation,
liability, penalty, forfeiture or punishment as
aforesaid, and any such legal proceedings,
investigation or remedy may be instituted or
continued or enforced and any such penalty,
forfeiture or punishment may be imposed as if this
Act had not been passed.
(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or
any action taken under the corresponding provisions
of any State Law so repealed (including any
notification, order, notice issued, application
made or permission granted, if any) which is not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, shall
be deemed to have been done or taken under the
corresponding provisions of this Act, as if this
Act was in force at the time, such thing was so
done or action so taken and shall continue to be in
force unless and until superseded by anything done
or any action taken under this Act."
4. Learned counsel for the appellant submitted before us that
when disqualifications have been prescribed in both the Acts i.e. Act
9 of 1994 and Act 19 of 1994 and the Act 19 of 1994 being subsequent
in point of time would prevail specially when there is section 142
which has laid down the over-riding effect notwithstanding anything
contained in any other law which is inconsistent with this Act shall
prevail and similarly, in Section 143 it clearly contemplates that
all other provisions of State law corresponding to the provisions of
this Act shall stand repealed, save to the extent that the
provisions which are not inconsistent with this Act. Therefore, in
view of Sections 142 and 143 of the Act 19 of 1994, the over-riding
effect of the subsequent legislation is that the legislature in its
wisdom while enacted the Act 19 of 1994 which has come into force
with effect from 19.9.1994 much after the Act 9 of 1994, intended
that this provision shall prevail especially when it has the over-
riding effect and the repeal is specific. Therefore, the clear
intention of the legislature should be given effect to. In support
of his contention, learned counsel for the appellant invited our
attention to the decision of this Court in Hyderabad Chemical and
Pharmaceutical Works Ltd. etc. v. State of Andhra Pradesh & Ors.
([1964] 7 S.C.R. 376) and in Ratan Lal Adukia v. Union of India
[(1989) 3 SCC 537].
5. As against this, Mr.P.S.Patwalia, learned senior counsel
for the respondents submitted that there is no express repeal but it
is only by implication and submitted that both the Acts can be read
harmoniously and in support of his contention, invited our attention
to the following decisions of this Court.
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i. (2003) 12 SCC 274
Kishorebhai Khamanchand Goyal v
State of Gujarat & Anr.
ii. 1989 Supp.(1) SCC 589
Jugal Kishore v.
State of Maharashtra & Ors.
iii. (1986) 2 SCC 209
Mary Roy & Ors. V.
State of Kerala & Ors.
iv. (1980) 4 SCC 435
M/s. Jain Ink Manufacturing Company v. Life
Insurance Corporation of India & Anr.
v. (1969) 3 SCC 801
vi. Principles of Statutory Interpretation [11th Edn.
2008]
By Justice G.P.Singh (Chapter 7, Synopsis 4 at page
637-639)
6. Both the Acts i.e. Act 9 of 1994 and Act 19 of 1994 came
into being in view of seventy-third amendment and seventy-fourth
amendment of the Constitution of India to provide more teeth to local
self government. By this amendment under Part IX of the
Constitution, Article 243 was amended. Likewise by inserting Part
IXA, Municipalities were also strengthened. Self-governance were
given to the local bodies. As a result of these seventy-third and
seventy-fourth amendments, The Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994(Punjab
Act 9 of 1994) and the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994
(Punjab Act No. 19 of 1994) were enacted. The preamble of The Punjab
Panchayati Raj Act,1994 ( Punjab Act 9 of 1994) reads as under :
" Whereas it is expedient to replace the
present enactments by a comprehensive new enactment
to establish a three-tier Panchayati Raj system in
the State of Punjab with elected bodies at the
village, Block and District levels, in keeping with
the provisions of the Constitution (Seventy-third
Amendment) Act, 1992 for greater participation of
the people and more effective implementation of
rural development and Panchayati Raj system;
Likewise the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994 was enacted
and the preamble reads as under:
" An Act to provide for the constitution of
the State Election Commission and for vesting the
superintendence, direction and control of the
preparation of election rolls for, and the conduct of
all elections to the Panchayats and Municipalities in
the State of Punjab, in the State Election Commission,
and to provide for all matters relating to, or
ancillary or in connection with the elections to the
Panchayats and Municipalities, in terms of the
provisions of Parts IX and IX-A of the Constitution of
India."
This is also a fact that the Act 9 of 1994 came into effect on
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21.4.1994 and the Act 19 of 1994 came into effect on 19.9.1994. Act
19 of 1994 is definitely later in point of time and here under
Section 11 (f) & (g) the disqualifications have been prescribed.
Though similar disqualifications existed under Section 208 of the
Act of 9 of 1994 but subsequently the legislature in its wisdom has
reduced the disqualifications and confined only to the area that one
should not hold office of profit under a Panchayat or a Municipality
or under the Government of India or any State Government. Thus, the
legislature in its wisdom has not considered it proper to continue
with the disqualification of being an employee of any local
authority, Statutory Corporation or Board or a Co-operative Society.
Had that been the intention of the legislature then perhaps they
would have specifically provided the disqualifications under Section
11 of the Act 19 of 1994. Section 11 clearly says that a person shall
be disqualified for being chosen as, and for being a member of a
Panchayat or a Municipality if he holds an office of profit under a
Panchayat or a Municipality; or if he holds an office of profit under
the Government of India or any State Government; whereas Section 208
(g) says a person shall be disqualified for being chosen as, and for
being a member of a Panchayat or a Municipality if he is a whole-time
salaried employee of any local authority, Statutory Corporation or
Board or a Co-operative Society registered under the Punjab Co-
operative Societies Act, 1961, or of the State Government or the
Central Government. But in the subsequent Act 19 of 1994 the area of
disqualification has been narrowed down. Since the Act 19 of 1994 is
subsequent in point of time and it also has the provisions of
Sections 142 and 143 which clearly contemplate that it shall have the
complete over-riding effect, reading of Section 142 makes it clear
that the legislature were aware of the earlier disqualification and
subsequently they have inserted the disqualifications under sub-
sections (f) & (g) of Section 11 so far as the office of profit is
concerned and provided over-riding effect and have clearly laid down
that notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any
other law for the time being in force relating to the conduct of
elections to the Panchayats or Municipalities or any incidental
matter thereto shall stand repealed. Therefore, the mandate of the
legislature appears on the face of it very clear and they have saved
the actions under Section 143 to the extent that any other law which
is inconsistent with this law shall stand repealed and only that
action taken under the corresponding provisions of any State law
which were in force at that time, those actions shall only be saved
and not otherwise. Therefore, the saving clause is very limited if
any action has been taken under the earlier legislation before coming
into force of Act 19 of 1994, those actions would be saved after
the coming into force of Act 19 of 1994. The mandate of legislature
is categorically clear in view of Sections 142 and 143 and it admits
of no two opinion in the matter. The courts should be very slow to
interfere with the mandates of the legislature unless there are
compelling reasons for doing so. In the present case, the clear
mandate of the legislature was that anything which is inconsistent
with the Act 19 of 1994 shall be deemed to have been repealed leaves
no room for us to take a contrary view of the matter. With respect we
cannot agree with the view taken by the Division Bench of the High
Court that both the provisions can be read harmoniously i.e. Section
11 of Act 19 of 1994 read with Section 208 of Act 9 of 1994 but we
regret it cannot be. Harmonious reading of both the provisions will
be limited to the extent of Section 11 of the Act 19 of 1994. When
Section 11 of Act 19 of 1994 clearly contemplates that these are the
only disqualifications mentioned in sub-sections (f) & (g), which are
already present in Section 208 of Act 9 of 1994, beyond that it
cannot be read. If Section 208 of Act 9 of 1994 lays down further
disqualifications then those disqualifications will run counter to
the disqualifications as mentioned in Section 11 of Act 19 of 1994.
If Section 208 of Act 9 of 1994 is inconsistent to the extent of
Section 11 of Act 19 of 1994, then to this extent the provisions of
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Section 208 of Act 9 of 1994 cannot be read. Since there are only
four disqualifications mentioned in Section 11 of Act 19 of 1994, the
rest of the disqualifications cannot be imported by implication of
the Act 9 of 1994. Mr. Patwalia, learned senior counsel for the
respondents tried to persuade us that the theory of not expressly
repealed by implication should be read into but we regret, it cannot
be. The intention of the legislature is clear and there is no reason
why the intention of the legislature be not given effect to. In
fact the Division Bench of the Punjab & Haryana High Court held that
Section 11 should be read with Section 208; that means Section 208
can survive to the extent that it is consistent with Section 11 of
Act 19 of 1994. Rest part of section 208 i.e. a person who is holding
office of profit under local authority, Statutory Corporation, Board
or Co-operative Society will not be disqualified. Therefore, if a
person holds an office of profit under the local authority, Statutory
Corporation or Board or a Co-operative Society cannot by implication
be said to be a person disqualified under the Act. These provisions
can be read harmoniously to the extent that if a person is holding
office under the Panchayat or a Municipality, or under the Government
of India or any State Government, to that extent it will be deemed to
be office of profit. If he holds an office of profit under any other
organization, like local authority, Statutory Corporation or Board or
a Co-operative Society, that will not be office of profit so as to
disqualify him to be chosen as and for being a member of a Panchayat.
7. Mr.Patwalia, learned senior counsel for the respondents
invited our attention to Chapter VII at pg.637 of the Principles of
Statutory Interpretation (11th Edn.2008) by Justice G.P.Singh, which
reads as under :
" The use of any particular form of words is
not necessary to bring about an express repeal. All
that is necessary is that the words used show an
intention to abrogate the Act or provision in
question. The usual form is to use the words’ is or
are hereby repealed’ and to mention the Acts sought
to be repealed in the repealing section or to
catalogue them in a Schedule. The use of words ’
shall cease to have effect’, is also not uncommon.
When the object is to repeal only a portion of an
Act words ’shall be omitted’ are normally used. The
legislative practice in India shows that ’omission’
of a provision is treated as amendment which
signifies deletion of that provision and is not
different from repeal. It has been held that "there
is no real distinction between repeal and an
amendment." It has also been held that" where a
provision of an Act is omitted by an Act and the said
Act simultaneously re-enacts a new provision which
substantially covers the field occupied by the repealed
provision with certain modification, in that event such
re-enactment is regarded having force continuously
and the modification or changes are treated as
amendment coming into force with effect from the date
of enforcement of re-enacted provision."
Similarly, our attention was invited to a paragraph at page 639.
There it has been observed as follows:
" The Legislature sometimes does not enumerate the
Acts sought to be repealed, and only says that " all
provisions inconsistent with this Act" are hereby
repealed. With respect to such a repealing provision,
it has been said that it merely substitutes for the
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uncertainty of the general law an express provision
of equal uncertainty; and in determining whether a
particular earlier provision is repealed by such a
repealing provision on the ground of inconsistency
with it, the same provisions which are application in
determining a question of implied repeal have to be
applied."
At page 640, under the heading Implied repeal it has been observed
as follows:
" There is a presumption against a repeal by
implication; and the reason of this rule is based on
the theory that the Legislature while enacting a law
has a complete knowledge of the existing laws on the
same subject-matter, and therefore, when it does not
provide a repealing provision, it gives out an
intention not to repeal the existing legislation.
When the new Act contains a repealing section
mentioning the Acts which it expressly repeals, the
presumption against implied repeal of other laws is
further strengthened on the principle expressio unius est
exclusion alterius. Further, the presumption will be
comparatively strong in case of virtually
contemporaneous Acts. The continuance of existing
legislation, in the absence of an express provision
of repeal, being presumed, the burden to show that
there has been a repeal by implication lies on the
party asserting the same. The presumption is,
however, rebutted and a repeal is inferred by
necessary implication when the provisions of the
later Act are so inconsistent with or repugnant to
the provisions of the earlier Act " that the two
cannot stand together"."
As already mentioned above it is very clear that Section 142 clearly
contemplates that the earlier laws which are inconsistent with the
Act shall stand repealed and it is saved to the limited extent as
provided under Section 143. Therefore, if both the provisions i.e.
Section 208 of Act 9 of 1994 and Section 11 of Act 19 of 1994 can be
read harmoniously to show that the disqualifications which are
mentioned for holding office of profit are that an incumbent should
not be an employee or a salaried person under the Panchayat, or under
Municipality, or under the State Government; or the Central
Government. To this extent there is identity between the two
provisions and no other disqualifications have been saved and it has
been subsequently repealed and it is more than apparent from Sections
142 and 143 of the Act 19 of 1994.
8. In Ratan Lal Adukia v. Union of India [(1989) 3 SCC 537] it
has been held as follows:
" The doctrine of implied repeal is based on
the postulate that the legislature which is
presumed to know the existing state of the law did
not intend to create any confusion by retaining
conflicting provisions. Courts in applying this
doctrine are supposed merely to give effect to the
legislative intent by examining the object and
scope of the two enactments. But in a conceivable
case, the very existence of two provisions may by
itself, and without more, lead to an inference of
mutual irreconcilability if the later set of
provisions is by itself a complete code with
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respect to the same matter. In such a case the
actual detailed comparison of the two sets of
provisions may not be necessary. It is a matter of
legislative intent that the two sets of provisions
were not expected to be applied simultaneously."
9. In Hyderabad Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Ltd. etc. v.
State of Andhra Pradesh & Ors. ([1964] 7 S.C.R. 376), it was held as
follows:
" By virtue of Entry 84 List I of the VII Schedule
to the Constitution no charge could be levied on
the manufacture of medicinal preparations except by
the Union of India and since the 1955 Act is a law
made otherwise by Parliament within the meaning of
Art. 277 the duties and other charges which used to
be levied by the State in connection with
medicinal preparations could no longer be levied by
it. Further the effect of s.21 of the Act is that
so far as the Hyderabad Act applied to the use of
alcohol in the manufacture of medicinal and toilet
preparations, the Hyderabad Act must be deemed to
have been repealed."
Therefore, it clearly transpires that by virtue of subsequent
amendment of the law made by the Parliament, the Hyderabad Act
automatically stood repealed. Similar is the position here also that
the subsequent Act 19 of 1994 which has come at later point of time,
repeals the provisions of the Act 9 of 1994 so far as it is
inconsistent with the Act 19 of 1994.
10. As against this, learned senior counsel for the
respondents, invited our attention to a decision of this Court in
Municipal Corporation of Delhi v. Shiv Shankar [ 1971 (1) SCC 442]
wherein it has been held as follows:
" As the Legislature must be presumed in
deference of the rule of law to intend to enact
consistent and harmonious body of laws, a
subsequent legislation may not be too readily
presumed to effectuate a repeal of existing
statutory laws in the absence of express or at
least clear and unambiguous indication to that
effect."
But in the present case, the intention of the Legislature is more
than apparent that the existing legislation as subsequently held
under Section 142 of the Act 19 of 1994 that this Act will have over-
riding effect on all other laws in the State and likewise, under
Section 143 there is repeal. Therefore, there is no question of
ambiguity in the matter of intention of the legislature as it is very
clear.
11. In Kishorebhai Khamanchand Goyal v. State of Gujarat &
Anr.[ (2003) 12 SCC 274] their Lordships held as follows:
" There is a presumption against repeal by
implication. The reason is that the legislature while
enacting a law is presumed to have complete knowledge
of the existing laws on the same subject-matter, and
therefore, when it does not provide a repealing
provision the intention is clear not to repeal the
existing legislation. Besides when the new Act
contains a repealing section mentioning the Acts
which it expressly repeals, the presumption against
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implied repeal of other laws is further strengthened
on the principle of expressio unius (personae vel rei) est exclusion alterius.(
The express intention of one person or thing is the
exclusion of another.) The continuance of existing
legislation, in the absence of an express provision
of repeal being presumed, the burden to show that
there has been repeal by implication lies on the
party asserting the same. The presumption is,
however, rebutted and a repeal is inferred by
necessary implication when the provisions of the
later Act are so inconsistent with or repugnant to
the provisions of the earlier Act that the two cannot
stand together. But, if the two can be read together
and some application can be made of the words in the
earlier Act, a repeal will not be inferred. The
necessary questions to be asked are:
(1) Whether there is direct conflict between the
two provisions.
(2) Whether the legislature intended to lay down an
exhaustive Code in respect of the subject-matter
replacing the earlier law.
(3) Whether the two laws occupy the same field."
As already mentioned there is no necessary implication. In this
case, the intention of the legislature is more than apparent.
12. Learned counsel for the appellant has tried to submit that
in fact the incumbent was virtually not holding the office of profit
as he ceased to be an employee for the last 8-9 years. We do not
want to go into this controversy as we have already decided the
question of law involved in the present case that a salaried employee
of any local authority, statutory corporation or Board or a Co-
operative Society can not be held to have held the office of profit
under Section 11 of the Act 19 of 1994. Therefore, we need not to go
into the factual controversy. Mr. P.S.Patwalia, learned senior
counsel for the respondents tried to persuade us that we should look
to the scope of both the Acts. The disqualifications are only
mentioned in Section 208 of the Act 9 of 1994 and the intention of
the legislature is very clear and Section 11 of the Act of 1994 being
in later point of time stating therein what are the
disqualifications, therefore, the disqualifications mentioned in
Section 11 of the Act 19 of 1994 will prevail and not the
disqualifications mentioned in Section 208 of Act 9 of 1994. The
disqualifications mentioned in Section 208 which are consistent with
Section 11 of Act 19 of 1994 can only survive and not other
disqualifications.
13. As a result of our above discussions, we are opinion that the
view taken by the learned Single Judge on the basis of the judgment
of the Division Bench of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana cannot
be sustained. Consequently, we allow this appeal, set aside the
judgment and order of the learned Single Judge and hold that the
appellant while serving in the Marketing Committee cannot be held to
be holding the office of profit. There would be no order as to costs.